Device for waving hair



March 28, 1939. P, ATHENS" DEVICE FOR WAVING HAIR Filed MW. 10, 1936 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES sitar FiQ ATENT Application November 10,

1936, Serial No. 110,118

13 Claims. (Cl. 132-36) My invention relates to a heating appliance for waving hair of the type in which an exothermic reaction is used to develop the heat to be applied to the hair.

There are a number of different devices for Waving or curling hair by heat developed due to an exothermic chemical action, this sometimes being designated as chemical heat in which a strand of hair is held tightly in a clamp, the clamp being contiguous to the scalp and the strand to be curled or waved is Wound tightly on a mandrel or curling rod, then the exothermic material usually in the form of a pad of metal foil or the like with the chemical in the foil is held in close contiguity with the hair twisted or wound on the curling rod. This material when dampened develops the necessary heat. There are also devices in the form of clamplike holders which clamp or engage a pad of the exothermic material around the strand of hair wound on the curling rod. In this manner of applying the heat it is necessary to purchase the pads which are specially prepared and usually all containing the same amount of chemical thereby generating the same amount of heat. There are certain disadvantages in having the same amount of heat for all types and conditions of hair as it is necessary to vary the application of heat in accordance with the texture and condition of the hair. Some hair requires but slight application of heat and again fine hair which does not have a natural tendency to curl requires a considerably greater amount of heat to be applied thereto.

A disadvantage of the chemical heating pad system of applying heat to the hair is that vapors are emitted during the exothermic chemical reaction and if such vapors contact the scalp or other parts of the skin of the person having the hair treated, it frequently causes burns. Moreover the odors and vapors are highly objectionable to the operators and to the customer. It is therefore a further object and feature of my invention to enclose the chemicals in a substan tially gas and Vapor tight box or container so that by application of moisture the exothermic reaction may be started and continued but the vapors cannot escape from the box and therefore these objections above mentioned are overcome.

An object therefor of my invention resides in a holder for the exothermic material having the characteristics in which the quantity of the excthermic material to be used may be quite accurately regulated in accordance with the particular condition of the hair to be waved or curled, also in which the exothermic material can be held by a clamp in a close position around the curling rod having the strand of hair coiled thereon and thus apply the heat to substantially the complete circle of hair on the curling rod.

In one form of my invention the clamp for engaging the hair wound on the curling rod has a pair of jaws with a box or the like for containing the chemical material to develop the exothermic action. Such box or container has the inner sides or the jaw faces curved in a concave manner to encircle the hair wound on the curling rod. The exothermic reaction is developed by moistening the material in the box or container which thereby develops heat which is transmitted through the jaw faces of the container to the strand of hair wound on the curling rod.

In one form of my invention the jaws of a clamp are made in the form of hollow boxes or containers, each having a lid for inserting the chemicals and removing the waste material. Each box is provided with a lid or closure member seating on a gasket or the like.

My invention also comprehends a form of device in which the boxes or containers are made of more or less inexpensive material, each having the requisite charge material inserted on constructing the box and suchboxes are held by a clamp or other suitable type of spring actuated jaws to surround the curling rod with the hair wound thereon. Such containers are preferably provided with a closure valve through which water may be admitted to the material in the box. These types of containers or boxes are thus in the form of cartridges which may be thrown away or discarded after their reaction period of use. They can be made so inexpensively that it is simpler to use new cartridges for each curling operation rather than replenish the materials in the boxes.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention taken in the direction of the arrow l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation with one of the containers partly broken away, taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figs. 1 or 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4- of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the manner of application and use of my invention with the container jaws illustrated as surrounding the hair wound on the mandrel or curling rod and this latter being held by a hair clamp.

Fig. 6 is an inside face view of a discardable cartridge or box partly broken away taken in the direction of the arrow E5 of Fig. '7.

Fig. '7 is an end elevation of Fig. 6 taken in the direction of the arrow I.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the cartridge taken in the direction of the arrow 8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the cartridges of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 when held by spring actuated retaining jaws.

Dealing with the construction of Figs. 1 through 4, the hollow box or container designated I I has a concave inside face or wall l2, longitudinally extending side walls It and M and opposite ends l5 and I 6. The top I! is provided with an opening l8 with a rim i9 and a gasket seat 2E5, there being a gasket 2! on this seat. A lid 22 is illustrated as hinged at 23 to one of the ends and having a spring clip or latching clamp 28 at the opposite end. This construction therefore permits the lidto be opened and the chemical for the exothermic reaction inserted in the box. Then when it is desired to start the exothermic reaction. the lid may be again opened and enough water added to start and carry on the reaction.

A convenient manner of mounting the boxes or containers H is by means of a spring clamp 35. This has two finger grip handles 3! preferably formed of heat insulating material to which are secured metal arms 32. These arms have inturned cars 33 through which extends the pintle 34. A spring 35 is tensioned to bring the outer ends 35 of the metal arms together. These outer ends are secured as indicated at 31 to one of the side walls l3 or M of the box-like container. If desired the containers may be removably attached to the ends of the arms.

In the application of my invention I employ a standard type of clamp indicated at 30 in Fig. 5 in which a strand of hair indicated at 4! is clamped. A mandrel or curling rod 42 also of a standard known type has the hair wound thereon, the portion to be curled being indicated at 43, this being the usual practice and the curling rod is held in suitable lugs extending upwardly from the clamp 49. It will be noted that a characteristic of my invention is that the longitudinal edges 44 on the side of the concave faces I2 attached to the handles are positioned quite close together when the boxes or containers are positioned on opposite sides of the mandrel or curling rod. This causes a somewhat wide spacing of the opposite longitudinal edge 45 but during the exothermic heat reaction, heat is reflected upwardly by the clamp to the hair on the underside of the mandrel. The concave face if! of the hollow or boxlike jaws forms a medium for transference of heat to the hair on the mandrel and on account of the jaws encircling the hair and curling rod so completely the heat is quite well confined to the portion of the hair being treated. In this construction it is not necessary that the chemical to be used completely fill the box or container. In fact, it is desirable to have charges or cartridges of various sizes which may be wrapped in cloth or other fabric and then the operator may choose the size cartridge necessary to be used for treatment of the hair, the operator knowing by experience the amount of heat necessary in each case. There is considerable air space left in the hollow boxlike jaws so that there is room for the vapors and steam developed during the exothermic reaction. While a slight pressure may be developed in the box, this has sufiicient strength to withstand the internal pressure. However the latch 24 does not fasten the lid so tight as to prevent a slight escape of steam should the pressure become excessive.

In the construction shown in Figs. 6 through 9, a hollow cartridge 58 is utilized. This is illustrated as having a concave jaw face 5| on one side, a flat wall 52 on the side, longitudinal side walls 53 and end walls 5@. One end wall has a perforation 55 and inside of this wall there is a spring finger 5e secured at one end 51 to the inside of the wall 5 1 and having a pad 58 pressed by the finger end 55 over the perforation 55. In this construction the chemical for the heat reaction is inserted in the box during its manufacture and the top wall 52 may have an overlapping edge 60 at the sides 53 to which it is secured by welding or soldering. Thus the cartridge forms an integral unit with the chemical contained therein and the whole cartridge is discarded after use in a treatment of the hair.

The manner of using the cartridge device of Figs. 6 through 9 is by using a clamp such as 40 in Fig. 5 with the hair wound on a mandrel or curling rod such as A jaw clamp 65 is shown as of a type having intersecting handles 66 with a pivot El, finger grip ends 68 and fiat jaw ends A contraction spring it draws these jaw ends together. In the manipulation of the device a pointed instrument such as a pin is inserted through the perforation 55 pressing the spring 56 inwardly while the perforated end of the cartridge is immersed in water or else water may be dropped through the perforation with an eye dropper or the like. This starts the exothermic reaction. The cartridges are then pressed by the fingers of the operator to surround the hair on the mandrel 42 and the clamp 65 is utilized to hold each pair of cartridges in a position somewhat as illustrated in Fig. 9. This holds the boxlike containers in close contact with the hair much in the same manner as the containers attached to the clamp 39 does in the set up shown in Fig. 5. These cartridges may be made of quite thin and inexpensive material such as aluminum or aluminum alloys which may be discarded after each treatment.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for waving hair comprising a hollow container having at least one substantially rigid wall, such container having an internal space for an exothermic chemical, means to seal said container to substantially prevent escape of steam or fumes during an exothermic reaction of the chemical. means to position the container with the substantially rigid Wall contiguous to strand of hair wound on a curling rod whereby the heat developed by the ei-zothermic reaction is transmitted through such substantially rigid wall to heat the hair on the rod.

2. A device for hair as claimed in claim 1, a second and sim .ar hollow container for an exothermic chemical, the means to position the container in reference to the strand of hair on the curling rod ccmprising a clamp, said clamp engaging both containers and applying such containers on substantially opposite sides of the strand of hair and the rod.

3. A device for waving hair comprising in combination a pair of hollow containers, each container having a substantially rigid contact wall. each container being adapted to receive a charge of an exothermic chemical, means forming a substantially steam and vapor tight seal for the container during an exothermic reaction to thereby prevent such escape of steam or vapors, means to clamp said containers with the contact Walls engaging a strand of hair wound on a curling rod whereby during an exothermic chemical reaction, heat is transmitted through the said contact walls to the strand of hair but steam and vapors from such reaction are prevented from contacting the hair.

4. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 3, the clamp having a pair of ends, each end being rigidly attached to a wall of the container.

5. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 3, the clamp having two jaw ends, each of which has a contact engagement with the side of a container opposite the contact side engaging the strand of hair.

6. A device for waving hair comprising in combination a hollow container having rigid walls, one of said walls forming a contact face concave from end to end, the container being adapted to hold and retain a loose charge of an exothermic chemical, means for applying water to the exothermic chemical, means forming a steam and vapor seal to prevent escape of steam and vapors during an exothermic reaction and means to apply the container to a strand of hair wound on a curling rod with the concave wall engaging the strand of hair and extending longitudinally thereof as to the hair wound on the curling rod.

7. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 6, there being a second and similar container, the means to apply the container to a strand of hair comprising a clamp having jaws rigidly attached to each container.

8. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 6, there being asecond and similar container, the means to apply the container to the strand of hair including a clamp having two jaws, each jaw having a contact with the two containers but disconneotible therefrom whereby the containers after use may be discarded.

9. A device for waving hair comprising in combination a pair of similar hollow containers having rigid Walls, each container being characterized by an inside concave face extending from end to end, longitudinal side walls, opposite end walls, and a top, each container being adapted to hold and retain a loose charge of an exothermic chemical, means for applying water to the chemical, means forming a steam and vapor tight seal for each container during an exothermic reaction, a clamp with an engagement to each container adapted to position the two containers with the concave faces engaging a strand of hair wound lengthwise on a curling rod Whereby the heat of the exothermic reaction is transferred through the concave faces to the hair without the hair being subjected to steam or vapors from the exothermic reaction.

10. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 9, the clamp having outer ends, non-removably attached to a side wall of each container.

11. A device for waving hair as claimed in claim 9, the clamp having jaw ends removably engaging the top wall of each of the containers.

12. A device for waving hair comprising in combination a hollow container having at least I one rigid contact wall concave in cross section and extending lengthwise of the container, such container having an opening with a lid, a catch to retain the lid in closed position and a gasket forming a tight seal with the lid whereby the container may have a charge of an exothermic chemical with water and the lid and gasket with the catch preventing escape of steam and vapors and means to apply the container to a strand of hair wound on a curling rod with the contact wall engaging the strand of hair.

13. A device for waving hair comprising in combination a hollow container having at least one rigid contact wall concave in cross section and extending lengthwise of the container, the container being adapted to contain a charge of an exothermic chemical, one of the walls having a port, a valve member forming a closure for such port, such closure being adapted to be opened for applying water to the chemical and the pressure of the steam and vapors developed being adapted to close the said valve, means to apply the container to a strand of hair wound on a curling rod with the concave contact wall engaging the strand of hair whereby heat of the exothermic reaction is transferred through the contact wall to the hair but the escape of steam and vapors is prevented.

PIERRE ATHENS. 

